A guide to McCarthy interpretation

The aim of the present study was to develop a system of tables to facilitate interpretation of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Tables are presented that organize the McCarthy subtests according to Bannatyne's, Sattler's, and Meeker's systems of interpretation. In addition, tables that organize the McCarthy Scales into categories that reflect factors likely to influence various subtests are presented. These tables will provide a more structured approach to McCarthy interpretation and a straightforward empirical method for generating hypotheses regarding individual strengths and weaknesses in intellectual ability.     

Special education placement decisions made by teams and individuals: A cross-cultural perspective

The present study looked at whether special education placement decisions made by teams are superior to those made by individuals. The investigation was conducted in Puerto Rico to determine whether the benefits of the cooperative group process exist in another culture. Results indicated that teams in Puerto Rico generated significantly less variability (i.e., errors) in their placement decisions than did the same specialists acting independently.     

Regression Analysis for Prediction: Understanding the Process

Research related to cardiorespiratory fitness often uses regression analysis in order to predict cardiorespiratory status or future outcomes. Reading these studies can be tedious and difficult unless the reader has a thorough understanding of the processes used in the analysis. This feature seeks to “simplify” the process of regression analysis for prediction in order to help readers understand this type of study more easily. Examples of the use of this statistical technique are provided in order to facilitate better understanding.     

Item wording and internal consistency of a measure of cohesion: the group environment questionnaire

A common practice for counteracting response acquiescence in psychological measures has been to employ both negatively and positively worded items. However, previous research has highlighted that the reliability of measures can be affected by this practice (Spector, 1992). The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect that the presence of negatively worded items has on the internal reliability of the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ). Two samples (N = 276) were utilized, and participants were asked to complete the GEQ (original and revised) on separate occasions. Results demonstrated that the revised questionnaire (containing all positively worded items) had significantly higher Cronbach alpha values for three of the four dimensions of the GEQ. Implications, alternatives, and future directions are discussed.     

Heart rates of high school physical education students during team sports, individual sports, and fitness activities

This study examined how activity type influenced heart rates and time spent in target heart rate zones of high school students participating in physical education classes. Significantly higher average heart rates existed for fitness (142 +/- 24 beats per minute [bpm]) compared to team (118 +/- 24 bpm) or individual (114 +/- 18) activities. Similar results occurred for the percentage of activity time spent within a target heart rate zone (fitness 81.7 +/- 15.9%, individual 68.4 +/- 30.5%, and team 60.6 +/- 30.5%). Boys attained higher heart rates during team activities, while female students had higher rates during individual activities indicating male and female adolescents respond differently to activity types. The highest mean heart rates were observed during fitness activities.     

On the alleged intrinsic immorality of mixed martial arts

In two recent articles, Nicholas Dixon has argued that the intent to hurt and injure opponents which is essential to mixed martial arts (MMA) makes the sport intrinsically immoral. Although bondage, domination, sadism, and masochism (BDSM) also involves the intentional infliction of pain and injury, Dixon argues that it is morally permissible in many cases. In this paper, I examine the principle underlying Dixon's differentiation of MMA and BDSM. I argue that, when properly elaborated, that principle does not in fact condemn MMA as intrinsically immoral, but rather implies that the attitudes and actions of most autonomously consenting amateur MMA fighters and some autonomously consenting professionals are prima facie morally permissible.     

Embodied learning and school-based physical culture: implications for professionalism and practice in physical education

We write as critical theorists, who consider that in terms of scoping out robust conceptual elaborations which are suitable for contemporary schooling, that physical education has ground to make up connecting theory with practice and practice with theory. We advocate that aspects of existentialism and phenomenology can provide a theoretically sound basis on which to argue that embodied learning should be the foundational cornerstone of physical education programmes. To avoid embodied learning becoming overly learner centric and insular, we advance Merleau-Pontian informed ideas on how learning could flourish when an individual and embodied focus merges with a school-wide physical culture agenda which is underpinned by social and moral theorizing. In developing our focus on merging embodied learning and physical culture, we draw upon MacIntyrean views on the goods which are internal to practice and extend thinking on how these goods could merge with the diverse aims and intentions informing the culture and ethos in schools. In pursuing these ambitions, we outline the constructive activist-based benefits of teachers working within subsidiarity-based school communities where pedagogical decisions are made at a level consistent with realizing whole schools aims. This is in spite of our acknowledgement that the lack of career-long professional learning adds to the difficulty of achieving these aims. In conclusion we argue that if physical education is to become a pivotal component of realizing a diverse range of whole school aims there is a need for greater professional engagement with pedagogical approaches that attempt to derive greater meaning from learners movement experiences and which help learners to understand better both their own identity and the ethos of the school context and environment they share with others.